FTII projects bag 5 national film awards

It has become a norm for the students of the Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) to add national awards to their kitty. This year was no different. Student films from the premier educational institute have bagged five national awards in the 58th edition of the prestigious awards.

Arunima Sharma won the Swarna Kamal and prize of Rs1.5 lakh for best direction for Shyam Raat Seher. The film also won the best cinematography award for cameraperson Murli G (Rajat Kamal and prize of Rs50,000) and to its processing laboratory, Film Lab in Mumbai (Rajat Kamal and Rs50,000).

Speaking to DNA, Murli G said, “I am very happy that our efforts were recognised and awarded. The film is about how urban surroundings affect our relationships.”

Another FTII student film, Kal 15 August Dukan Band Rahegi, directed by Pratik Vats, won the best short fiction award (Rajat Kamal and prize of Rs50,000 each to producer and director). Pratik said, “It’s a great honour to get this award. The feeling is still sinking in. The film is a second-year diploma project. It’s about a bunch of youngsters in Delhi on the eve of Independence Day trying to figure out what Independence means to them.”